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N0. 6|2,234. Patented Oct; ll, I898.

R. DEMEUSE. ELECTRIC TRACTION APPARATUS.

(Application filed July 23, 1897.\

(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet l.

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No. 6l2,234. Patented Oct. ll, I898. R. DEMEUSE.

i ELECTRIC TRACTION APPARATUS.

{Application filed July 23, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fy 1: n 7%: 5

15,.6. I f x No. 612,234. Patented Oct. ll, I898.

- R. DEMEUSE.

ELECTRIC TRACTION APPARATUS.

(Application filed. July 23, 1897.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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NITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

RAOUL DEMEUSE, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

ELECTRIC TRACTION APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,234, dated October 11, 1898.

Application filed July 23, 1897. Serial No. 645,737. (No model.) Patented in Belgium December 28, 1896, N0. 125,371,' in France April 24, 1897, 110,266,818; in Switzerland May 10, 1897,1Io. 14,677; in Spain May 11, 1897, No. 20,845; in Portugal May 13,1897, No. 2,504; in England May 17, 1897, No.12,210; in Denmark May 17,1897, No. 1,717; in Sweden May 17,1897; in Norway May 17, 1897, and in Italy May 29, 1897, No. 44,822/388.

To wZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAOUL DEMEUSE, engineer, a subject of the King of Belgium, residing at Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented a new and useful Improved Electrical Traction Apparatus, (for which patents have been obtained in Belgium, No. 125,371, dated December 28, 1896; in France, No. 266,318, dated April 24, 1897; in Italy, No. 44,822/388, dated May 29, 1897; in Spain, No. 20,845, dated May 11, 1897; in Portugal, No. 2,504, dated May 13, 1897; in Denmark, No. 1,717, May 17, 1897; in Sweden, May 17, 1897; in Norway, May 17, 1897, in Switzerland, No. 14,677, dated May 10, 1897, and in England, No. 12,210, dated May 17, 1897,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The electrical traction apparatus which forms the subject of this invention is one of the class of apparatus in which the motors are fed from a collector arranged on the vehicle, which is adapted as it proceeds successively to make contact with the cable supplying the electrical energy, this result being attained through the medium of contact-points erected along the line or track or through the medium of a trolley moving along a conductor divided into sections or lengths, the effect being the same whether the electromagnet whereby the successive circuits are closed is located on the line or suspended from the vehicle, or whether the current is continuous or divided into phases, the exciting-current of the operative electromagnet being derived from the main current and under normal circumstances passed on from one length or section to the next following length or section, While all the operations of the mechanism are effected by comm utators or switches of peculiar construction or arrangement and caused to take place by a collector, of special construction also, all of Whichwill hereinafter be described in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a longitudinal and a transverse section of the commutator or switch device arranged for continuous or uniform currents. Fig. l isa diagram of the connections. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively alon gitudinal section and a crosssection for polyphase or alternating currents, Fig. 3 being the corresponding diagram of connection. Fig. 5 is a section of a modified construction of commutator for continuous currents, and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a cross-section and a partial longitudinal elevation of the current-collector.

In all these examples the current-collector is assumed to be suspended from the vehicle and in cooperation with the contact-points placed on the line. I will therefore begin by describing this type of collector. It consists of a number of longitudinal plates or blades L, spaced out by means of intermediate washers P and suspended between two lateral squares E upon two pins K, passing through and connecting the whole mechanism, which is suspended from the carriageframe by means of stretchers T arranged at their extremities, which serve to press them against two resilient pads or bufiers T, having a constant tendency to force all the plates L onto or against the contact-points on the line. The perforations in the said plates through which the pins K are passed are elongated, whereby each of them is enabled to rise singly whenever the slightest irregularity occurs in the contact-making, while at the same time they are constantly retained in position by the said buffers or pads, so that no matter what their position at the time may be they will jointly convey the current to the motor, inasmuch as they are at all times electrically connected to each other, all of which is clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. of the drawings.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a diagram of the commutator connections for continuous current adapted for making circuit with the motor between any two contact-points, according as the vehicle proceeds along the line. The main circuit of a section is closed by means of a current derived from the preceding section, which excites ahigh-resistance wire electromagnet, the armature of which closes the main circuit, which in its turn excites a second magnet I, while on the other side it communicates with the earth,the other electromagnet I, wound with low-resistance wire, being connected on one side to the contact O and on the other. to the main cable Gr. Besides-the contact-point I3 is connected to .the armature A. The current-collector L while yet upon the contact-point B and about to make contact with the next following contact-point B sends a derived current through the armature A, con tact O, coil 1, and thence to the earth. The electromagnet I on being excited swiftly attracts the armature A, and in so doing cuts off the current from thereby becoming itself shut out from the circuit; but at the same moment the armature as it makes contact with C closes the main circuit G I O A B L, kept up by the electrofrom the nippers rather than to remain in engagement therewith, so that this contact arrangement facilitates the operation of the commutator. For high Voltages the spark may be divided by subdividing the contact into two or three wedges applied to the armature and corresponding to an equal number of nippers, though it will be understood that this should only be done in the case of the contact C, which serves to cut off the derived current, whereas the contact 0 will be interrupted by the weight of the armature and the pressure of the springs r 7 only when the main current ceases from passing through such armature, or, in other words, when the magnet I, and sends the current to the distributer D and motor lWI, whence it passes on to the return-rail. As soon as the collector L has left the contact-point B the current is cut OE and the armature redescends by its own weight to its normal position.

When there is no current in any of the sections or lengths, say at starting, the current for exciting the operative electromagnet I may be derived through the distributer D from a small battery D, placed upon the carriage.

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a longitudinal and a cross section illustrating the constructive arrangement of the commutator mechanism inclosed in an air-tight and dam pproof cast-iron case. The contact-point Bis by means of a pin or bolt 1) firmly secured to the lid F of the said case, from which it is insulated by suitable washers t' and by a layer of insulating material t, which fills up the hollow space within the lid and so envelops the said post as to allow its top end only to emerge for the purpose of making contact with the collector L. On the bottomsurface of the case there is erected a yoke or stirrup shaped piece H,from which are suspended the electromagnets I I and to which are secured the contacts 0 and G, the construction of which is characteristic in this particular that they form spring-controlled tongs or nippers having a tendency to disengage the armature A. In the case of the contact 0 for the current derived from the electromagnet I these nippers simply consist of two curved springs r r,between which,on the lower side of the armature, there engages a wedge 0, while in the case of the contact 0, which serves to form the main circuit with the low-resistancewire electromagnet I, the springs r r externally press upon two hinged flaps ZZ, between which there engages a wedge 0, provided on the top of the armature A, which is pivoted to the arm of the stirrup or yoke at the opposite end. These contact-wedges c 0' form a single piece passing through the armature from which they are insulated, while they are connected to the contact-point B by the flexible conductor G. Owing to the pressure which the said springs r r or r 'r", as the case may be, exercise upon the inclines of the wedges these have a tendency to release themselves collector has left the post.

A modified commutator arrangement, comprising only one low-resistance-wire electromagnet I, is represented in Fig. 5. In this case the operative high-resistance-wire electromagnet I is placed on the vehicle, while the commutator-case is covered over with a plate of electrically-conductive material. The armature for the two electromagnets assumes the shape of a bell-crank lever and is 0011- nected to the contact-pointB, while the electromagnet I is connected to the main cable G and nipper 0, just as before, the derived current constantly passing through and exciting the high-resistance-wire electromagnet 1 -As soon, therefore, as this electromagnet comes to be above the horizontal arm of the armature A it attracts such arm and closes the main circuit at O by means of the vertical arm, which the low-resistance-wire electromagnet holds until the collector moves away from the contact-point B. It will be seen that in this arrangement there forms no breaking spark and that the number of parts is greatly reduced.

It now remains for me to describe the arrangement of the commutator for polyphase currents, in doing which I will refer first of all to the diagram Fig. 3. It being here assumed that a triphase current has to be dealt with, it will naturally be sent through three conductors. Accordingly the vehicle carries two current-collectors L L, and each commutator has two contact-points B and 13 which are placed between the rails, the third conductor being the rail itself and the electromagnets being replaced by double solenoids, two of which, S and S are wound with lowresistance wire and the third, S with highresistance wire, the outer coils being secured and coupled in series with the inner coils, which are movable, being pivoted to the lever A, having double contacts .9 s, s 8 and s s replacing the armature A of the electromagnets. be wound at will upon two separate spools or upon one common spool, the latter being the arrangement here adopted.

This is the course which the current will take: when the commutator is at restthat is to say, while no current is passing through itthe lever A is in its lowered position and The low-resistance-wire solenoids may the nippers s s make contact, While the others s s and s s are for the time bein cut out of circuit; but as soon as the collectors L L touch the contact-points B and B a circuit Will close with the operative solenoid S pending hinged and spring-pressed flaps to receive the Wedge located on the upper side of the armature, and upwardly-extending springs to embrace the Wedge located on the under side of said armature.

the current passing from B through f to S and into the inner coil. then returning to S through outer coil of S and then through f to B S then raises the lever A and at the same time cutting off the contact at s s but making contact at s s and s s with the solenoids S and S respectively, which keep .up the position and close the main circuit,

the course of which may readily be followed in the figure, with the tWo collectors L L. 7

Figs. 3 and 4:216 respectively a longitudinal and a cross-section illustrating the practical arrangement of the commutator, which, with the exception of the parts just described, is exactly like that of the commutator used for continuous currents.

It goes without saying that all the connections described remain unaltered provided the posts B are substituted by rails cut up into sections or lengths, in which case the collectors L should be replaced by double trolleys adapted to travel upon rails so divided.

I claim 1. The combination with the electromagnets and their armature, of Wedge-blocks arranged on opposite sides of said armature, de-

2. A current-collectortor electrlcal-ranway systems, comprising a plurality of parallel plates or bars separated by interposed spacing-Washers, and secured bya transverse bolt passing through elongated slots in said plates or bars, in combination With a buffer interposed between the plates and the vehicle, a supporting bracket on either side of the plates, and resilient suspending means for said brackets. V V

3. The combination with the casing and its insulated contact B, of a yoke arranged Within the casing, the magnets suspended from said yoke, an armature common to both magnets and pivoted at one end to said yoke, Wedge-blocks arranged on opposite sides of said armature, depending hinged and springpressed flaps to receive the wedge located on the upper side of the armature, and upwardlyextending springs to embrace the wedge located on the under side of said armature.

RAOUL DEMEUSE.

Vitnesses:

AUG. JoEmssEN, GREGORY PHELAN. 

